Exercise is one of the most powerful tools against depression, study confirms

By Sam Downing| 7 months ago

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What's good for the body is good for the mind

Going for a run, hitting the gym or finding some other way to move your body is one of the most powerful shields against depression.

That universal truth is borne out by a far-reaching new study, published in the American Journal of Psychiatry, that finds exercise lowers the risk of depression regardless of your age or where you live in the world.

An international team of researchers analysed data from 49 studies covering more than a quarter of a million people to determine that those with higher levels of physical activity have lower odds of developing depression.

Exercise's benefits held up even after accounting for body mass index (weight), smoking history, and other physical conditions.

"The evidence is clear," said the study's lead author Professor Dr Felipe Barreto Schuch, from Brazil's Universidade La Salle, in a statement.

The research is significant because depression is deemed the leading worldwide cause of disability. According to Beyond Blue, 1 million Australians have depression in any one year, and around one in six will experience it at some point in their lives.

A 2017 study led by the Black Dog Institute (whose researchers contributed to the new research) found that as little as an hour of exercise every week cuts depression risk, and that more than one in 10 cases of depression could be prevented by physical activity.

It's not clear why physical activity protects against depression, but other research indicates it might be because exercise reduces inflammation and increases hormones and neurotransmitters that improve brain health.